Asia-Pacific Markets Respond to US Trade Developments

Following Wall Street's positive trend, major stock indices across the Asia-Pacific region experienced an upswing on Friday. This movement came in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announcement of a plan for reciprocal tariffs, which, notably, was not immediately enforced. Investors are keeping a close watch on US trade maneuvers and the latest earnings reports from key regional corporations, including Nissan, Honda, Sony, and SoftBank, all of which were disclosed earlier in the week.

Market Movements Across the Region

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 saw a slight decrease, trading 0.81% lower at 7:20 am CET. Meanwhile, mainland China's Shanghai Composite edged up by 0.06%, and the Shenzhen Composite increased by 0.50%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index made a significant leap, soaring 2.48%, and South Korea's Kospi advanced by 0.27%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also ended the day on a positive note, gaining 0.19%.

Currency Fluctuations

On the currency front, the dollar experienced a minor dip against the yen, trading 0.08% lower at 7:20 am CET, with the exchange rate standing at 152.6205.